List of English Idioms and Phrases with meanings and examples for Competitive Exams UPSC SSC IBPS Bank NDA

Modified: October 29, 2015

Below is a list of idioms and phrases crafted with utter care for SSC CGL and bank PO/clerk (IBPS) exams. These idioms and phrases are taken from the previous papers of SSC and IBPS and other bank exams. The list is very Important which generally repeats in competitive examinations.We have organized these Idioms and Phrases in alphabetically Order A to Z. Idioms and Phrases with meanings are given below:

Idioms and Phrases with meanings and examples:

Starting with A:

1. A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:

Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

2. A Blessing In Disguise:

Something good that isn’t recognized at first.

3. A Chip On Your Shoulder:

Being upset for something that happened in the past.

4. A Dime A Dozen:

Anything that is common and easy to get.

5. A Doubting Thomas:

A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.

6. A Drop in the Bucket:

A very small part of something big or whole.

7. A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted:

It’s easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.

8. A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand:

Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.

9. A Leopard Can’t Change His Spots:

You cannot change who you are.

10. A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned:

By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).

11. A Picture Paints a Thousand Words:

A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

12. A Piece of Cake:

A task that can be accomplished very easily.

13.At wit’s End

Not knowing What to do

14.All thumbs

Clumsy

15.A close-fisted man

A miser

16.Alma Mater

Institution where i got my education

17.At loggerheads

Disagreeing on everything

Starting with B:

1. Back Seat Driver:

People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.

2. Back To Square One:

Having to start all over again.

3. Back To The Drawing Board:

When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over.

4. Baker’s Dozen:

Thirteen.

5. Barking Up The Wrong Tree:

A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.

6. Beat A Dead Horse:

To force an issue that has already ended.

7. Beating Around The Bush:

Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

8. Bend Over Backwards:

Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.

9. Between A Rock And A Hard Place:

Stuck between two very bad options.

10. Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:

To take on a task that is way to big.

11. Bite Your Tongue:

To avoid talking.

12. Blood Is Thicker Than Water:

The family bond is closer than anything else.

13. Blue Moon:

A rare event or occurrence.

14. Buy A Lemon:

To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it.

2. Cast Iron Stomach: Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything.

3. Charley Horse: Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp.

4. Chew someone out: Verbally scold someone.

5. Chip on his Shoulder: Angry today about something that occurred in the past.

6. Chow Down: To eat.

7. Close but no Cigar: To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.

8. Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale.

9. Come Hell Or High Water: Any difficult situation or obstacle.

10. Crack Someone Up: To make someone laugh.

11. Cross Your Fingers: To hope that something happens the way you want it to.

12. Cry Over Spilt Milk: When you complain about a loss from the past.

13. Cry Wolf: Intentionally raise a false alarm.

14. Cup Of Joe: A cup of coffee.

15. Curiosity Killed The Cat: Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.

16. Cut to the Chase: Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.

17. Cock and Bull Story: An unbelievable tale.

Starting with D:

1. Dark Horse: One who was previously unknown and is now prominent

2. Dead Ringer: 100% identical. A duplicate.

3. Devil’s Advocate: Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the argument. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.

4. Dog Days of Summer: The hottest days of the summer season.

5. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t rely on it until your sure of it.

6. Don’t Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth: When someone gives you a gift, don’t be ungrateful.

7. Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

8. D oozy: Something outstanding.

9. Down To The Wire: Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds

10. Drink like a fish: To drink very heavily.

11. Drive someone up the wall: To irritate and/or annoy very much.

12. Dropping Like Flies: A large number of people either falling ill or dying.

13. Dry Run: Rehearsal.

14.Daft as a brush

Really silly

Starting with E:

1. Eighty Six: A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.

2. Elvis has left the building: The show has come to an end. It’s all over.

3. Ethnic Cleansing: Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.

4. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining: Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

5. Everything But The Kitchen Sink: Almost everything and anything has been included.

6. Excuse my French: Please forgive me for cussing.

Starting with F:

1. Feeding Frenzy:

An aggressive attack on someone by a group.

2. Field Day:

An enjoyable day or circumstance.

3. Finding Your Feet:

To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing.

4. Finger licking’ good:

A very tasty food or meal.

5. Fixed In Your Ways:

Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something.

6. Flash In The Pan:

Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.

7. Flea Market:

A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods.

8. Flesh and Blood:

This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone’s family.

9. Flip The Bird:

To raise your middle finger at someone.

10. Foam at the Mouth:

To be enraged and show it.

11. Fools’ Gold:

Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.

12. French Kiss:

An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.

13. From Rags To Riches:

To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.

14. Fuddy-duddy:

An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.

15. Full Monty:

This idiom can mean either, “the whole thing” or “completely nude”.

16. Funny Farm:

A mental institutional facility.

Starting with G:

1. Get Down to Brass Tacks: To become serious about something.

2. Get Over It: To move beyond something that is bothering you.

3. Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed: Someone who is having a horrible day.

4. Get Your Walking Papers: Get fired from a job.

5. Give Him The Slip: To get away from. To escape.

6. Go Down Like A Lead Balloon: To be received badly by an audience.

7. Go For Broke: To gamble everything you have.

8. Go Out On A Limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.

9. Go The Extra Mile: Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.

10. Good Samaritan: Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.

11. Graveyard Shift: Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.

12. Great Minds Think Alike: Intelligent people think like each other.

13. Gut Feeling: A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.

14.Go Dutch

Pay for each other’meal

15.Go for a Jugular

attack all out

Starting with H:

1. Haste Makes Waste: Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.

2. Hat Trick: When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 home-runs, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.

3. Have an Axe to Grind: To have a dispute with someone.

4. He Lost His Head: Angry and overcome by emotions.

5. Head Over Heels: Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.

6. Hell in a Hand basket: Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.